Summary:
The three high schools in Houston's 77072 zip code—Elsik High School, Hastings High School, and the Alief Learning Center (6-12)—are all part of the Alief Independent School District (Isd) and serve a high-poverty community, with over 78% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch across the board.
For parents comparing the two main comprehensive high schools, Elsik High School stands out as the academic leader, consistently outperforming Hastings High School on every state STAAR EOC test in both English, math, science, and history. However, Hastings High School boasts a significantly higher graduation rate of 89.5% compared to Elsik's 82.3%, and a lower dropout rate of 3.3% versus Elsik's 4.9%. This creates a notable paradox: Hastings appears more effective at keeping students on track to earn a diploma, even though its test scores are lower. The Alief Learning Center (6-12) is a specialized alternative school with only 140 students and an extremely low student-teacher ratio of 3.2:1, but its per-student spending of over $1.76 million reflects the intensive services required for its high-need population.
A key takeaway for families is that all schools in this area face significant challenges. Across both Elsik and Hastings, English I and II reading scores are the weakest subjects, with proficiency rates as low as 24%, signaling a systemic need for literacy support. While Elsik offers stronger academic preparation, its higher dropout rate suggests some students may struggle to keep up. Hastings, with its better graduation outcomes and a favorable 14:1 student-teacher ratio, may be a better fit for students who need more support to complete high school.
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